Humans Never Understand
by alyssialui
Summary: Humans hurt what they don't understand. Tom falls into the Black Lake and is rescued by a young merwoman. Tom Riddle/Merwoman.
1. Humans Never Understand

_A/N: Humans hurt what they don't understand. Based on the competitions I've signed up for, this story came forth about a young mermaid falling for the dashing Tom Riddle Jr during his Hogwarts days. Riddle Era. I do not own Harry Potter._

_Submission for:_

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft &amp; Wizardry (Challenges &amp; Assignments): **Potions Assignment #1** \- **Write a story involving inhabitants of the Black Lake. Prompts: throw._

_**New Years Millionaire Fanfiction Resolutions &amp; Goals Competition!: **Merperson/Random HP Character_

_**Greek Mythology Mega Prompt Challenge:** Merpeople** \- **Write about Merpeople. Alt; Write about life under the Black Lake._

* * *

I watch him whenever he dares to venture from the confines of the castle, leaving only my eyes above the water to follow his movement across the Hogwarts grounds. He never sees me though, his head constantly in a thick tome, his lips moving over each word noiselessly. The sun would shine off neatly groomed black hair and illuminate his face, giving him the appearance of a god like those I imagine from the stories my mother told me in my youth.

Sometimes, I wish he would just look up, his eyes would turn from the pages and meet mine across the surface of the lake but other times, I am grateful for his obliviousness. Humans didn't understand my kind, and if he were to see me, it would end disastrously. He would be disgusted simply by my appearance, throw venomous words to hurt me before walking away, never wanting to see me again.

The thought of never seeing him again hurts more than any words he could say. Maybe it's better we never meet. With one last look, I disappear below the surface of the water.

* * *

It is a new day as I wait just below the surface of the water. My black glittering eyes scan the faces of students on the grounds for any sign of the boy. I have memorized his schedule so I know he should be coming outside to sit with his colleagues by the tree over-

A cold green hand touches my skin and I almost scream, turning quickly into the cold face of my mother.

"You're waiting for that human boy again," Mother states.

I look away from her not knowing what to say now that she has caught me. She always made her feelings about humans known, and my silence only irritates her more.

"Stop this at once. He will never understand you," she says before she grabs my hand and tugs me away from the surface.

I look back wistfully at the sunlight on the surface. "I know," I murmur.

* * *

It is dark now, the moonlight above the surface of the water not bright enough to penetrate the depths of the lake. I am about to sleep for the night, surrounded by the tall reeds that make up my resting place, when I feel a disturbance in the water.

I swim out into the open to see someone struggling in the water. One of the students must have fallen in while walking in the dark.

I hurry towards the human whose struggles are becoming weaker and weaker, before I pull it up to the surface of the Lake and throw it on the bank. In the light, I can see it is a male with striking features, his nose straight, his jaw chiselled and his black hair plastered to his wet scalp. His eyes are closed but I know their colour. It is the boy I've been watching.

But he is not breathing as he should be. I jump out of the water and land on the bank, turning him onto his stomach and trying to beat the water out of his chest, hitting against his back as hard as I can. Maybe I am too late. Is he going to die?

Eventually he sputters, coughing water onto the grass. His movements are sluggish and his eyes open slowly. I reach out to touch his face, happy that he is alive, happy that I am this close to him, to have his eyes stare into mine.

He screams, scrambling to his feet and drawing his wand on me in an instant. I say something but it is obvious he doesn't understand. He looks angry, positively livid, as he says mean hurtful things to me. His wand moves threateningly before him. He is going to hurt me with his magic.

I scream, my last defence mechanism, causing his hands go his ears as I jump back into the water.

My mother is there and has seen everything. "Humans hurt what they do not understand," she says.

I nod in agreement as I try to stop the pain in my heart, wishing things had gone differently with the handsome boy from the surface.


	2. Lady of the Lake

_A/N: Something was watching him and he would find out what. The same tale but from Tom's PoV._

_Submission for:_

_**The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition: **Round 3 - Genre: Mystery. Prompts: (creature) mermaid, (word) experience, (word) history_

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft &amp; Wizardry (Challenges &amp; Assignments): **Arithmancy Assignment #12 - Write about an investigation_

_**Ultimate Battle! Competition: **Silver Armor - 1000 words of Riddle Era_

* * *

Tom peeked over the top of his dusty tome, his eyes trailing the students who walked past him across the Hogwarts grounds. It was a day like any other, one where he left the comfort of the dark corridors of the dungeons and discomfort of the stuffy classrooms for some fresh air. The bright afternoon sun would warm his skin, the cool refreshing breeze would tussle his hair, but he never really noticed those things, with his head constantly in one of the thick books procured from the Restricted Section of the Library. What he did notice, however, was the feeling of two eyes following him as he walked across the grassy knolls.

He was very careful when he looked around him, not wanting the person to know he could feel their gaze, but no matter how he tried, he could never pinpoint exactly who it was. He scrutinized every face and uniform, but nothing seemed out of place. All the other students were simply going about their daily routines and a few younger students even going out of their way to avoid him.

Then his eyes would inevitably be drawn towards the Lake, the hairs on his skin prickling as he watched the slight ripples on its surface. There were many rumors living within its depths, but would one of them be watching him? They were just mindless fish and the fabled Giant Squid. Why would they be watching him, out of every other student here?

But he couldn't shake off the feeling, or the slight shiver that ran down his spine, and it was enough to convince of the possibility. There was something out there, something watching him, and he was going find out what.

* * *

That evening, he returned to the Library, combing the shelves under the Librarian's watchful gaze for any material on the famed Black Lake of Hogwarts. He had gotten nowhere brown-nosing Slughorn, or inquiring the dolts he called house-mates. None of them had any experience with the inhabitant of the Lake, so he set forth to do his own research.

He poured over parchments and texts, learning about the history of gillyweed, the dangers of grindylows, and even the possible eating habits of the Giant Squid. However, none of the creatures possessed enough intelligence to watch him.

Maybe he was simply being paranoid. Maybe it was all in his mind.

Tom scowled, shaking his head. Doubt was for the weak, and he was anything but. He knew what he felt, which meant that there had to be something out there. He would solve this mystery tonight.

* * *

It was dark now as he stepped out onto the grounds, guided by the soft light of the waxing moon. They called this place the safest place in Wizarding Britain? It was surprisingly easy to get out of the castle without being seen, and he was sure the teachers were none the wiser.

He made his way to the small cliff overlooking the Lake, watching the reflection of the moon on the soft waves. He was surrounded by the darkness and the sound of the creatures which inhabited it, their chirps and cries piercing the air every now and then. There was a chill on the air as the night wind blew, but the prickling sensation was absent. Whatever was watching him was not here tonight.

He let out a low frustrated noise, before he spun on his heel. But then he lost his footing, the sole of his shoes slipping on the wet grass. He fell over the edge of the cliff, landing in the water with a loud splash.

He flailed as he sank beneath the lake's surface, his water-logged robes dragging him down quickly. His eyes stung as he tried to peer through the darkness. This was a darkness he was not used to, darker than the Forest or even the orphanage. This darkness was suffocating, pressing in on him from all sides.

Eventually, his brain screamed for oxygen and his mouth opened, letting the water flood into his lungs. There was a burning sensation across his chest as his struggles got weaker and his eyes closed. He couldn't fight it anymore. He was going to die here and no one would realize until morning.

Cold arms came around him, pulling him in and keeping him safe. A hazy image came to mind of lovely woman who danced with the beasts and protected him from the monsters. She would save him from the depths. She would save him from the darkness. She would kiss him and tell him she loved him.

"Mum?" he called out, his voice carrying to her ears and she held him tighter, patting his back to help him.

Then the image disappeared and he let out a sharp gasp before he got into a mad coughing fit. He opened his eyes slowly. He was back at the lake, face down on the grass and clearing the water out of his lungs.

The cold hand was back on his face, its skin green in the moonlight as it traced a path down his jaw. He followed the hand to its owner and two large black eyes were staring back at him.

He scrambled to his feet and drew his wand, shouting, "Get away from me, foul creature!"

He had read about mermaids before, but this was far from anything he could have imagined. The creature's entire body was covered in shiny scales, its head was adorned with many tiny knobs arranged like a crown, and its legs had melded into a single entity and ended in a tail. Then it opened its mouth and strange sounds slipped past its sharp teeth. Did it mean to attack?

Tom waved his wand before him, a curse on the tip of his tongue, before the creature let out an ear-splitting scream. He dropped his wand to cover ears as the creature dived back into the water.

The night was silent, the lake's surface calm once more. Tom looked into depths before looking back at the spot he had woken up. He had fallen from the cliff, he had been drowning, he was sure he had lost consciousness, and the creature had saved him?

He shook his head. No, she was a monster, looking only to kill. She would've probably eaten him if he hadn't scared her off.

He turned back to the castle, ignoring the shiver caused by his damp clothes as he began the walk back, mystery forgotten.


End file.
